On Dec. 17, Bas Kuijlenburg passed away in a tragic accident at the age of 60.

The bass baritone was on his way to rehearsal when he collided head-on with an ambulance.

Kuijlenburg was born in 1962 and studied social sciences before taking on music and solo singing at the conservatory in Utrecht.

Kuijlenburg went on to take lessons with bass Pieter van den Berg after graduating from the conservatory. He then performed with numerous choirs in oratorios, cantatas, and Bach’s passions.

He appeared with De Nederlandse Opera, as a choir member, and as a soloist and also worked with the BarokOpera Amsterdam, Opera Per Tutti, and Opera Animous.

Kuijlenburg was known for his interpretations of Mendelssohn, Bach, and Verdi’s music as well as contemporary works.

Among the operas in the bass-baritone’s repertoire were Verdi’s “Giovanna d’Arco,” “Il Trovatore,” “Nabucco,” “Tosca,” “Iphigenie and Aulide,” “La Muette de Portci,” “Le Comte Ory,” and “I Pagliacci.”